For many homeowners in East Greenwich, the attic is a neglected dumping ground. If you live in a house with an attic accessible by folding stairs or some other means, perhaps you use the space for storage.

The time was when garages, mimicking the stables of earlier years, were built separate from the house in East Greenwich. That changed after World War II, when architects began including garages in the house structure. Attached garages make life a little more convenient for homeowners, but they also have an unwelcome effect: They can, and frequently do, pose a health hazard for the home's occupants.

The garage door is the largest entry into your home and potentially the weakest spot during a hurricane or tornado. In fact, approximately 80 percent of residential hurricane wind damage starts with entry through garage doors, according to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes ( http://www.flash.org ). So what can be done? A number of manufacturers are addressing the issue by offering garage doors.

The garage is potentially the most toxic space in any house, which should come as no surprise when you think about what's in it. Start with the car fumes, road grime, road salts and other unwelcome tire and shoe hitchhikers, add the stored paints and stains, gasoline cans, lawn and garden chemicals, car fluids and other items too dirty, greasy or downright dangerous to keep anyplace else around.

The Healthy Garage Checklist in East Greenwich By taking these simple steps, you can keep your family safe and healthy: Install an exhaust fan, vented away from the house or any windows. Set it on a timer to run for 45 minutes after a car leaves or enters in the garage. Don't let your car idle or warm up in the garage, especially with the garage door closed.

How many times have you looked at your basement and thought how great it would be to have a playroom, a home office or a family room/entertainment center - if only it didn't get wet? Dampness is the leading reason that most people do not fully utilize their basement in East Greenwich.

The American garage has changed considerably in the past 100 years as the automobile has become an ever larger factor in our lives. At the turn of the last century, a carriage house was rare. If one existed on your property, it was not attached to the main house and it was simply a smaller version of a barn.